communication – Page 3 – Pathfinder Strategies

Tag Archive for: communication

The Cost of Silence: Why Working Around That Coworker Problem Is Killing Your Productivity

December 22, 2025/in Blog/by Brandy Ferrer

Stop Wishing it Would Get Better—Here’s Why You Need to Speak Up Now

The Lingering Annoyance

You know the feeling. It’s that one specific thing with a coworker or team member that has been quietly gnawing at you for weeks, maybe even months.

It might be:

The deadlines that are constantly missed.
The small tasks that are consistently dropped.
The subtle, yet unmistakable, weird vibe in team meetings.

We’ve all been there, convincing ourselves with the same tired lines: “Maybe it’ll get better on its own. Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe if I just work around it one more time…”

Here is the tough love you need: It won’t get better. You’re not overreacting. And you cannot successfully work around a core team issue forever.

The Four Ways Your Silence Is Costing You

When you choose to stay quiet, you aren’t being kind—you are simply choosing short-term comfort. And that comfort has a steep price tag for you and your team.

1. Exponential Growth of the Problem

That small annoyance is not static; it’s compounding. Every day the issue goes unaddressed, it becomes more normalized and more deeply ingrained in the person’s work habits. What was once a small course correction now requires a major intervention.

2. The Hidden Drain on Team Morale

If you see the issue, guaranteed, everyone else on the team sees it too. The resulting low-level anxiety and tension are what create that “weird vibe” in meetings. People are talking about the problem, but they are talking about it around the person, not to them. This erodes trust and makes the whole environment heavier.

3. You Are Paying the Compensation Tax

Look closely at your own task list. Are you staying late? Are you double-checking work that shouldn’t need it? When a team member consistently falls short, you—and others—are forced to fill the gap. You are essentially paying a Compensation Tax on your own time, energy, and productivity to make up for someone else’s gap.

4. The Conversation Gets Harder, Not Easier

The longer you wait, the more history you have to unpack. It is far easier to say, “I noticed this on the last two reports,” than to say, “For the last two months, your performance has been an issue.” Delaying makes the necessary conversation feel higher-stakes, more emotional, and more career-limiting than it needs to be.

The Shift: From Avoidance to Action

The core of this issue is recognizing that you are not being kind by staying quiet; you are just being comfortable. And that comfort is actively costing you your time, your energy, and your team’s ability to trust.

What if you could confidently have that conversation—the one that solves the problem—without it being awkward, messy, or detrimental to your professional relationship?

It is possible to navigate these difficult conversations with grace, clarity, and a focus on positive results. You need the right framework, the right language, and the confidence to speak up.

Ready to Stop Working Around the Problem?

If you’re tired of sacrificing your sanity and productivity to avoid a five-minute conversation, it’s time to learn how to lead through conflict.

Let’s discuss strategies for transforming difficult conversations into productive outcomes.

➡️ Schedule a time to discuss how to navigate these conversations here:

5 Minute Communication Game Changer: SPARK

February 29, 2024/in Blog/by Brandy Ferrer

Does any of this resonate with you?

“I don’t know why communication is such a struggle!”

“Performance from some team members just isn’t where it needs to be.”

“I’m constantly fixing things and putting out fires. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”

These are statements I hear from leaders all the time as they grind through misaligned expectations, communication break downs, accountability challenges and fixing the issues left behind by poor performance.

It’s painful, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

What if told you there is a simple, effective communication method that will save you time, help your team perform at their best and free you up to focus on the work that matters instead of running from fire to fire?

It’s called the SPARK method and, it takes 5 minutes or less.

Imagine a member of your team is taking on a task or project. This is a perfect time to use SPARK. Here’s how it works:

Set Expectations:

Collaboratively determine the expectations of the task. What’s the basic criteria like deadline? What does success look like? Are there barriers that need to be removed or other tasks that need to be reprioritized to meet expectations? Invest the time to get clear here-it will save you a ton of time and frustration later.

Purpose:

Whenever starting a task or project, no matter how big or small, you must explain the WHY. Not only does this give context, but it helps you move the team beyond a task master mindset. Ignite their engagement by showing them how their work connects with the bigger goal or strategy.

Action & Attention:

I once two weeks researching and compiling a competitive analysis report at my manager’s request. I walked into his office to present my findings feeling very confident about the final product. My manager took one look at my report and said, “this isn’t really what I was looking for.” All of that time and energy wasted and I still missed the mark. Ouch.

You see, my manager did a great job explaining the expectations and the purpose of the project, but then he left me to my own devices. He trusted me to take action, but he didn’t follow up with attention. There was no check in to make sure I was on the right track.

It’s not enough to set expectations and communicate the purpose. To ensure the right actions are taken to get the project done, you must give that team member and that project a measure of attention.

This is the step that is most often skipped by leaders with the universal reason, “I don’t have time to check in and give attention to every person and project on my team.”

So, let me ease your mind. When I say “give attention” I’m talking about a regular, proactive check in. This could be a chat on Teams, a text, a quick call or popping into a team member’s workspace. The intention is to check in on progress and action, answer questions and remove anything standing in the way of success. When done effectively, this should take you less than 5 minutes.

Real Time Feedback & Coaching:

Since you’re already checking in and giving your attention and support, this is the perfect time to offer real time feedback, advice and coaching, both positive and constructive.

If the project or task is on the right track, offer specific kudos. If things are not on track, this is the time to course correct.

Had my manager taken this step with me, it would have saved us both a lot of time and the project would have been a success…the first time around.

Keep it Going:

Keep the communication going. If there was a correction to be made from real-time feedback and coaching, this is the place to follow up on it.

When the task or project is complete, this is where you compare the initial expectations with the final results.

These conversations are the most powerful when they’re ongoing.

The SPARK method can be used in team meetings, 1:1 conversations, your daily standing meetings and even in conversations you have with your boss. The best part-these conversations take 5 minutes or less.

Would you like to reclaim your time? Would you to communicate with impact and help your team do the same? Would you like to take the pain out of performance conversations? Then give the SPARK method a whirl.

The Platinum Rule: Your Communication Edge

July 28, 2023/in Blog/by Brandy Ferrer

Just as I finished a demo for a new software I was researching, my phone rang. And of course, it was a sales person from said software company.

Naturally, I was annoyed. I wasn’t ready to make a buying decision and I definitely didn’t want to deal with pushy sales tactics. But something remarkable happened during that call.

In the span of 5 minutes that sales person took me from grumpy, “I’m-not-giving-you one dime buddy” to practically throwing my credit card at him. Not only did I make a purchase right then and there, I purchased the biggest, most expensive package available.

You may be wondering, as I did, how the heck did he do that?

The answer is pure genius. He spoke my language. No gimmicks, no cheesy sales pitches-just words that hit the bullseye with me-fast, results, straightforward. No time wasted on small talk, just rapid-fire, power-packed communication, just the way I like it.

The whole call, including me parting ways with several thousand dollars, took less than 10 minutes.

That is the power the Platinum Rule of Communication, your secret weapon to getting what you want by giving others what they need in communication. Get ready put the Platinum Rule of Communication to work for you.

The Secret

As a leader, you know your team members aren’t all the same? You already do this dance of communication, adapting to each person’s needs and preferences. But let’s spell it out.

If you want people to listen, buy from you, or consider your ideas, you have to speak their language. That’s the Platinum Rule of Communication – communicating with others the way they want to be communicated with. But here’s the thing, understanding their style is just the beginning.

Why it Matters:

A big part of the gig as leader is the ability and willingness to communicate and communicate effectively.

What does it mean to communicate effectively? It means people know what the heck you’re talking about. It also means you have the ability to influence others to take certain actions. It means people actually care about what you have to say.

There’s more to it than that.

Great communicators enjoy more trusting, productive relationships. It’s easier to the work done when you can communicate well. Fun fact: effective communication can lead to a 50% increase in employee engagement. And you probably know the data- engaged employees are more productive, creative, and committed to achieving results.

Step 1: Understand your style and needs

Understand your style and needs. Get self-aware, recognize your preferences and how you like to communicate.

Consider your favorite method of communication and why you prefer it. Do you like quick, direct messages or do you prefer more details and data? Do you enjoy chatting your co-workers up or do you prefer to get down to business right away? The answers to these questions will provide a lot of insight on your personal needs.

Step 2: Understand and Appreciate the Style and Needs of Others

How do you recognize someone else’s communication style and needs? Well, there’s a few simple things you can do.

First, pay attention to what your past experience tells you. We all give off clues in every meeting, phone call, text, zoom meeting, and email. Listen. Pay attention to those clues. You’re going to need them for the next step.

Next, have a conversation with those you work with about their communication preferences. These simple questions will help drive that discussion:

Do you like email, phone call or text best?
How much detail to you like?
Should we get right to business or can I ask you about your dog?

One more thing-this step isn’t just about recognizing someone else’s style-it’s also about appreciating it.

Different approaches are complementary, not competing. And without different communication styles, things would fall through cracks all over the place.

Now, on to the most important step…

Step 3: Adapt to meet the other person’s needs

At this point-you understand your style. You recognize and appreciate the styles and needs of the people you work with. Now, it’s time to put the Platinum Rule into action

For the people on your team who appreciate data, give them data and don’t get cranky when they ask you about the varsity of the information or if they ask you 100 other questions.
For the people who craft those long detailed messages explaining how they’ve reached a conclusion-thank them! Show appreciation for their work.
For those who like short, direct emails or texts-oblige them whenever possible. And don’t take it personally when they sent you messages with 10 words or less.
For team members who want to chat you up about your camping trip and their cat, engage, within reason of course. Ask them questions about their lives and experiences.

The truth is-I could write an entire book on things you can do to adapt. But I’ll sum in up for you here:

If you know the team’s communication needs and preferences-wherever possible, do you best to accommodate those needs. It can be as simple as a warm greeting in an email or asking a team member to poke holes in an idea.

Use the Platinum Rule! By doing this, not only will you influence others and achieve your goals, but you’ll also show them that you genuinely care about their needs. The best part? You’ll become an influential communicator and a leader your team will trust, respect, and talk to.